Dahlak Archipelago, EritreaAI generated

Dahlak Archipelago

Eritrea · Northern Red Sea · 5 m

Short description of Dahlak Archipelago

The Dahlak Archipelago is a scatter of some three hundred and fifty low coral islands off Massawa, of which only a handful are inhabited. Boats are chartered in the port and take between two and five hours depending on how far out you go. There are no hotels, no shops and no power on most of the islands, so a trip means sleeping on a beach or on deck. The reefs are shallow, warm and full of fish, though the water is more turbid than in Sudan or Egypt. Dahlak Kebir has ancient cisterns and a very large medieval tombstone field.

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Recommended length of stay

Minimum1 day
Optimal2 days
Maximum4 days

Travel seasons at a glance

Best time to visit: December – February

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec

All highlights and sightsBeta

  1. Snorkelling the Dahlak fringing reefs
  2. Diving reefs that almost nobody dives
  3. Beach camping on an uninhabited island
  4. Dissei island and its fishing communities
  5. Dahlak Kebir village and the Dahlik language
  6. Ancient cisterns and the medieval tombstone field
  7. Dugong, dolphin and turtle watching
  8. Nora island reefs
  9. Pearl banks and the diving heritage
  10. Seabird colonies and flamingos
  11. Fishing with a sambuk crew
  12. Mangrove stands and salt flats

Map view

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